Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson

Rosa and her Italian immigrant family live in Lawrence Massachusetts where her mother and older sister Anna work in the mills since the death of Rosa's father. While her mother and sister work, Rosa attends school where she is the best and brightest in her class and works hard to become as American as she can. Native born Jake has received little schooling and works in the mill so that his drunkard father can keep his supply of alcohol. When the mill workers of Lawrence go out on strike, life changes dramatically for both Rosa and Jake and their lives intertwine as they struggle to survive. Katherine Paterson is known for her well-written, meaningful fiction and this is no exception. The story's complicated and slow moving plot will limit its teen readership, however. The narration alternates between the perspectives of Jake and Rosa- neither of whom are completely reliable narrators. Both children's struggles during the strike are depicted honestly and realistically. Rosa fears for her mother and sister's safety and opposes the strike while Jake supports the strike but struggles to feed and shelter himself as he tries to escape the wrath of his father. Their journey to Barre, VT where they find shelter and love is touching, particularly in the case of Jake.

Totally Joe by James Howe

Joe Bunch is assigned to write an alphabiography- a biography of his life from A to Z in which he examines his friends, his family, and his life as a gay teenager. A fun companion to Howe's The Misfits follows Joe through the year as he experiences his first boyfriend, his first break-up, coming out to his family and friends, and dealing with the school bully. A very positive and upbeat story, every conflict and potential problem is resolved cleanly and quickly. Though slightly idealistic, teens who struggle with problems similar to Joe's will find hope in this tale.

Boys that Bite by Mari Mancusi

When Sunshine is accidentally mistaken for her identical twin sister Rayne and bitten by a vampire, she is not happy. She does not want to become a vampire, especially now that the school heartthrob has asked her to the dance. There may be a way to stop Sunny from becoming a vampire and so she and Magnus- the vampire responsible for her current predicament- set out to find the cure. Another fast-paced, quick vampire romance that is difficult to put down once you get into the story. The characters are fun and will speak to teen girls. I hoped to see more of Rayne, however, the cliffhanger ending promises a sequel in which Rayne will play a larger role. Should appeal to Buffy fans and those who devour vampire novels.

Rash by Pete Hautman

It's the late twenty-first century in the USSA (United Safer States of America) and all dangerous activities, verbal abuse, and failure to maintain one's good health are highly illegal and safety is the the most important thing in society. The tiniest offenses can find on incarcerated and joining almost twenty-five percent of the country's population in manual labor. Sixteen-year-old Bo finds himself sent to a work camp after he is accused of spreading a rash throughout his school and assualts the classmate who started the accusation. Bo finds himself sent to Canada where he becomes the pepperoni shooter in a line at the pizza factory. He earns the opportunity to shorten his sentence by joining the factory's highly illegal football team. Hautman's ability to write unforgetable books that are difficult to put down does not fail him in his newest title. Hautman's look at a future United States is a highly disturbing satiracal look at what the future could look like as we give up our freedom in the name of safety. This book is perfect for book discussions and class projects.

Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything by E. Lockhart

Sixteen-year-old Gretchen Yee attends the Manhattan School for Art and Music, where everyone is different and gifted. Gretchen feels like she doesn't fit in- her art teacher doesn't appreciate her artistic style, her parents are in the middle of a divorce, boys are a complete mystery, and her best (and only friend) doesn't have time to spend with her anymore. One day Gretchen wishes that she could be a fly on the wall of the boys locker room- and mysteriously when she awakens she has been transformed into said fly. Gretchen learns about the mysteries of boys and a lot about herself during her week as a fly.

Ok, who hasn't at some point wished that they could be a fly on the wall somewhere… now, maybe not the boys locker room (eeww gross!), but I know I've wished I could be a fly on the wall. Lockhart's spin on Kafka's Metamorphosis makes that wish come true for unhappy Gretchen. Lockhart flows smoothly between Gretchen's thoughts and the descriptions of what occurs around her. Readers who are able to suspend their sense of reality will enjoy Gretchen's experiences in the forbidden land of the boys locker room. A fun and funny quick read, Gretchen's voice will resonate with many teen girls. Dispite strong language and mature situations this book will be a hit with teen girls looking for a light read.

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

Ten thousand years ago, demons lifted their small island out of Earth time in lieu of moving underground as the other faeire families did. The Island of Hybras has been living in Limbo until now- as the spell deteriorates demons are being pulled back into present time and space. Section Eight (a group more powerful than the LEP) has been monitoring demon materializations, however, the materializations are becoming more and more unpredictable... but not for Artemis Fowl, who is there to meet the next demon who appears in this demension, but he is not the only one. This second party abducts the demon before Artemis can secure him and now he and Holly must rescue the demon before the world becomes aware of him. Most of the living characters have returned and we meet a new twelve year old child genius who gives Artemis a run for his money. Artemis also begins to experience puberty, which impacts the child genius in ways that he did not expect. The relationships between Holly, Butler, and Artemis continue to grow and develop and are one of the best parts of the entire series. A more complicated plot with more layers and twists makes this chapter of the series harder to follow than previous installments, but fans of the series won't be disappointed. An interesting development at the end will leave readers wanting more and waiting for the next (and rumored last) installment to appear.

Letting Go of Lisa by Lurlene McDaniel

Nathan Malone has always been homeschooled- that is until his senior year of high school after his mother gives birth to twin girls. His first day of school, he encounters Lisa- a motorcycle-riding loner. Nathan is immediately drawn to her, however, he is unsuccessful in getting her attention. When Nathan finally starts spending time with her, he learns that she has a deadly secret.

After the Angels in Pink series, I was afraid that McDaniel had lost her touch for the gripping teen tragedies for which she is so famous. While the characters still lack some development and therefore the tragedy lacks some of her typical sting this book is much improved over the Angels in Pink series. Sure to be popular with any fan of McDaniel's, it will also be enjoyed by any teen looking for a good cry, or teens who enjoy a romantic tragedies.

7 Days at the Hot Corner by Terry Trueman

Baseball is Scott Latimer's life. He is the starting third basemen for his high school's team and he lives for the "hot corner." Soon Scott's life off the field is beginning to resemble a "hot corner" as well. His best friend comes out of the closet and Scott really struggles with what that means to their friendship- so much so that he goes to get an HIV/AIDS test. Now, in addition to the most important week in his baseball career, Scott has to struggle to accept the changes in his relationship with his best friend, worry about the results of his HIV/AIDS test, and his families issues. Terry Trueman has another slam dunk for reluctant readers. This short, faced paced novel has lots of appeal as it tackles tough issues.

Club Meds by Katherine Hall Page

Club Meds is what the teens who meet at the nurses office to receive their daily medication call themselves. Jack, who suffers from ADHD, his friend Mary, who also suffers from ADHD, and his friend Sam, who suffers from Epilepsy, are all members of Club Meds. Jack is dreading the start of 9th grade because he knows that bully Chuck Williams will be there waiting for him. This year, Chuck not only bullies Jack in the hallways, but he demands that Jack turn over 20 of his Ritalin pills every week. Jack knows that without his Ritalin he will not be able to function, yet he turns over his pills for fear of what Chuck will do to him if he does not. His friend Mary helps by giving him some of her own pills and decides that the group must come up with a plan to stop Chuck but at the same time keep Jack from getting in further trouble. A great book for the older YA audience about a teen with ADHD. The affects of ADHD on Jack's life is shown not only in the school situation, but also in Jack's family life and it's impact on his friends. For non-ADHD suffers, the book seems slightly heavy but teens who suffer from ADHD will be able to connect with Jack and his situation. The plot is relatively predictible, but it is a face-paced high energy quick read. One of the issues that is presented, and I wish had been further developed is the issue of teen prescription drug abuse. I felt that the ending was very disappointing in that respect. Language, teen partying, drinking and drug abuse as well as discussions of sex will make this inappropriate for some readers.

Bhangra Babes by Narinder Dhami

Amber, Geena, and Jazz are excited about their Auntie's pending marriage to Mr. Arora, the head of their school. But their Auntie's upcoming marriage is not all the girls have to deal with- first there is the new girl at school, who Amber has taken an immediate disliking to, but she is chosen by Mr. Arora to show the girl around school, then there is the hot new guy that the girls begin to compete over, and finally Mr. Arora's Auntie arrives and begins to take over the wedding plans and interferes in away that only interfering Aunties can. The third volume in the Babes trilogy about the Dhillon sisters (following Bindi Babes and Bollywood Babes) can be read as a stand alone, though readers would probably find reading the previous two installments helpful. The Dhillon sisters are typical young teens- crazy, self-involved, and boy crazy... but they are fun. The story, told through Amber's descriptive and humorous commentary, is fun and will be enjoyed by teens looking for a light, humorous read. The Indian cultural elements, along with the British setting will appeal to teens looking to explore other cultures.

But I Don't Want To Be A Movie Star by Margaret Pinder

While her parents are attending a conference in Georgia (the former Soviet Republic not the State), Kat finds herself shipped off to the US to stay with her Oscar-award winning actress Grandmother. After her grandmother severely injures herself by attempting to use Kat's skateboard after a few drinks, Kat finds herself agreeing to impersonate her grandmother to help her obtain a movie role that could reignite her career. Improbable situations and mostly one dimensional, somewhat stereotypical, characters make this story a flat, slow read. Kat's character, several humorous situations, and an upbeat tone save this story from being a complete flop. Readers who looking for a silly, slightly humorous, light read would find just that in this tale. Goes well with Introducing Vivien Leigh Reid Daughter of the Diva by Yvonne Collins.